HJBR Mar/Apr 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAR / APR 2022 53 Richard Wampold, BS, DDS Family, Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry that, in many cases, these appliances were actually eliminating obstructive sleep apnea and the need for CPAPmachines. The discipline of sleep medicine has grown tremendously in my practice. It has been very rewarding to change people’s lives and health by giving them a way to achieve more restful, healthy sleep. I now work closely with other sleep pro- fessionals to assure our appliances are doing their job. Not every patient with obstructive sleep disorder can use the mandibular ad- vancement appliances and rid themselves of a CPAPmachine, but many can. When I fit a patient with our appliance, we always have them go through another sleep study to as- sure us the appliance is working for them. Sleep studies now are much easier than when they originally began. I am currently involved in learning how to administer at- home studies where the patient wears a simple ring that transfers information via Bluetooth to a phone. That information is then forwarded to a doctor who diagnoses the patient based on the study. We, as dentists, are finding out more and more how we can be on the forefront of di- agnosing sleep apnea. There are many signs in the oral cavity that can point to possible obstructive sleep disease. If a patient is showing signs of in- creased decay in their mouth, it could be caused by severe dryness that can be the re- sult of mouth breathing caused by sleep ap- nea. Also, many times, without the presence of decay, patients will complain of severe mouth dryness, which therefore makes me investigate further. Simple questions can lead to the possibility of sleep apnea and the need for a sleep study. Another sign of possible sleep disorder is wearing on the teeth and/or the presence of tori (boney outgrowths) in the mandib- ular or maxillary area. This can mean the patient is grinding and/or clenching their teeth because of breathing improperly. Com- mon complaints from patients when we further inquire are “light” sleepers, restless sleep, waking up feeling fatigued, daytime drowsiness, mood swings, early morning headaches, and many more symptoms. As health professionals, dentists have a golden opportunity to diagnose sleep apnea and greatly improve a patient’s quality of life. Obstructive sleep apnea is not just a dis- ease of the adult population. Many infants, children, and adolescents suffer from this disease. Once again, the dentist has a great opportunity to aid in diagnosing this disease in children. There are many tell-tale signs of obstruc- tive sleep apnea in children. The obvious one is a parent reporting snoring in a child or a child grinding their teeth. Also, children (and adults as well) with dark circles under their eyes can be a tell-tale sign of sleep apnea. As a dentist, we can also diagnose the less obvious signs in children such as a narrow, highly vaulted palate and/or a recessed chin line, which canmean the mandible is further back than it should be, thus obstructing the airway. In the presence of any of the above signs, a sleep test should be ordered. If a child is indeed diagnosed with ob- structive sleep apnea, there are treatments available that can literally be life-changing. Sometimes a simple widening of the pal- ate can open the airway and alleviate the problem. In other cases, such as the man- dible being retruded, the enlistment of an orthodontist and sometimes a maxillofacial surgeon is needed. In conclusion, the advancements in den- tistry in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea are very exciting and rewarding and ever-changing. The feedback we get from patients is so positive, and reports of life- changing results are very satisfying. I’m excited to be on this journey with my staff and patients and look forward to incorpo- rating this more and more into my everyday practice. n RichardWampold,BS,DDS, is a graduate of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and a 1977 graduate of Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in NewOrleans.He has been in private practice for forty plus years in Baton Rouge. Wampold’s practice is family oriented with an emphasis on cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Wampold has attendedmany continuing education seminars over the years. He is a graduate of the Las Vegas Institute for Cosmetic Dentistry and has at- tended numerous classes with Sirona on the Cerec 3-DCADCAM in Scottsdale,Arizona. In addition, he is an active member of the American Dental Asso- ciation, the Louisiana Dental Association, and the Greater East Baton Rouge Parish DentalAssociation.